Spirited Bengaluru rings in 2019

Thousands of frenzied revellers waited for the countdown to end with bated breath to usher in 2019 on Brigade Road and MG Road on Monday.

No untoward events were reported at the time of going to the press.

The revellers unanimously began the countdown in high spirits and welcomed the New Year.

Revellers were allowed to enter Brigade Road from M G Road through Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMDs) from 8 pm onwards. They could only walk down Brigade Road towards Residency Road junction.

Parking was prohibited on MG Road and Brigade Road from 4 pm onwards. MG Road was closed for vehicular traffic as the New Year approached.

Except for potable waterpoints, eateries, pubs, clubs and party halls, that remained open until 2 am, all other commercial establishments shut shop around 8 pm.

To prevent untoward incidents, the Brigade Shoppers Establishment Association made announcements through speakers installed along the road to ensure smooth movement of people in the vicinity. They also played light music.

"Lakhs of people have congregated on Brigade Road this New Year's Eve," said Suhail Yosuf, secretary of the association.

High-resolution cameras set up by the association scanned the entire stretch of Brigade Road. The access to the cameras, however, were handed over to police.

Along with several other cameras, the police recorded the festivities on handycams from 6 pm till all the revellers left the vicinity.

Apart from Brigade Road, revellers also gathered at party hubs of UB City, Vittal Mallya Road, Residency Road, Koramangala, Indiranagar, HSR Layout and Kammanahalli.

Massive security

Armed policemen were all around the brilliantly lit Brigade Road and were monitoring the crowd from watchtowers at certain spots on MG Road.

More than 1000 policemen were deployed to maintain law and order in and around Brigade Road. Quick Response Teams and Bomb detection squad, along with dog squads, were at work since noon.